How to export your MyChart records (and keep them in one place)
Every person gets one health story, and one private Family Stork email address every clinic already knows how to use. Tired of managing health records for yourself and everyone you love? Family Stork organizes them for you automatically.
How do I export records from MyChart?
The exact steps depend on your hospital system's version of MyChart, but the general process is the same everywhere:
- Log into your MyChart account at your hospital's patient portal.
- Look for My Record, Health Summary, or Share My Record in the menu.
- Select the date range and record types you want (visit summaries, lab results, immunizations, medications, allergies).
- Choose a format — PDF for reading, CCD/C-CDA for importing into another system.
- Download the file to your computer or phone.
Some hospital systems also offer "Share Everywhere" or "Apple Health" connections that push specific data types to health apps on your phone.
What you actually get when you export
The export gives you a snapshot from that one hospital system. It includes records generated by providers within that network — visit notes, lab results, medications prescribed there, immunizations given there.
It does not include:
- Records from providers outside that hospital system
- Paper documents you've never uploaded anywhere
- Notes from urgent care, dentists, specialists, or therapists on different EHR systems
- The photo of your child's rash you texted to the pediatrician
- School or daycare health forms
If your family sees doctors in three different health systems, you'll need to export from three different MyChart portals. Then you have three files, each with a partial view. None of them talk to each other.
Why exporting once doesn't solve the problem
Records aren't static. Every well-child visit, every lab draw, every new prescription, every specialist consult adds to the record. An export is a one-time snapshot — it's already outdated after the next appointment.
To keep a complete picture, you'd need to re-export from every portal after every visit. For a family with two children who see a pediatrician, an allergist, and an orthodontist across two health systems, that's a recurring chore that nobody actually does.
The files themselves create another problem. CCD files are XML — they're machine-readable but not particularly useful sitting in a downloads folder. PDFs are easier to read but harder to organize. Neither one updates itself.
The difference between exporting records and having a record
Exporting gives you files. Having a record means every visit, every lab result, every vaccine, every allergy — from every provider — lives in one place that stays current without you doing anything.
That's the difference between downloading snapshots and having a timeline. One is a chore. The other is a system.
Family Stork gives every person — child, adult, aging parent — one private email address shown on their record. You give that address to every doctor, lab, pharmacy, and specialist. When any provider sends visit summaries, lab results, or medication changes, the records file themselves into one timeline. No portal login. No export. No file management.
When exporting still makes sense
Exporting your MyChart records is worth doing in specific situations:
- Switching doctors: Your new provider may ask for a summary from your previous doctor. A CCD export carries structured data they can import.
- Moving to a new state: Requesting records before you leave ensures nothing falls through the cracks during the transition.
- Getting a second opinion: Specialists reviewing your case will want complete records from the treating provider.
- Organizing a parent's care: If you're coordinating care for an aging parent, exporting from each of their portals gives you a starting point.
- Keeping a personal backup: Hospitals merge, systems change, and portals sunset. Having your own copy of the data protects against the record disappearing from a portal you no longer have access to.
The catch is that exporting is always point-in-time. The moment you do it, the record keeps growing without you. That's why many families export once as a starting point and then use a system that keeps everything current going forward.
How Family Stork handles what MyChart exports can't
| MyChart export | Family Stork | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | One hospital system per export | Every provider, every system |
| Stays current? | No — snapshot at time of export | Yes — new records arrive automatically |
| Paper records | Not included | Snap a photo — AI does the data entry |
| Multiple people | Separate exports per person per system | One family view, one address per person |
| Format | PDF or CCD file in your downloads folder | Searchable timeline you can ask questions |
| Price | Free (portal feature) | $99/year — or about $10 a month |
FAQ
Can I export my child's records from MyChart?
Yes, if you have proxy access to your child's MyChart account, you can export their records the same way. Keep in mind that proxy access only covers providers within that hospital system, and it ends when your child ages out (typically between 12 and 18). For records that follow your child for life, see how proxy access compares to a lifelong record.
What format should I export — PDF or CCD?
It depends on what you're doing. PDF is easier to read and share with a new doctor who wants a paper-style summary. CCD (also called C-CDA) is a structured data format that another electronic health record system can import. If you're switching providers and they ask for records, CCD is usually more useful. If you want a readable backup, PDF works fine.
Can I export records from MyChart on my phone?
Most hospital systems' MyChart mobile apps support record export, though the options may be more limited than on desktop. Look for "Share My Record" or "Health Summary" in the app menu. Some systems also support exporting to Apple Health directly from the app.
How often should I export my MyChart records?
If exporting manually, after every significant visit — well-child checks, specialist appointments, lab results, new prescriptions. In practice, most people do it once and forget. That's the gap: records keep growing after every appointment, but nobody re-exports. A system where records arrive automatically solves this.
Does Family Stork import MyChart exports?
Family Stork works alongside portals by receiving records directly from providers via email. Rather than importing old export files, it starts collecting new records from the moment you give a provider the private email address on your record. For existing paper records, you can snap a photo and AI handles the data entry. See how it works.